S. Arabia: Four eminent Female Scientists

The Amazing Saudi Women Scientists You Need To Know About

By Tamara Abueish

March 25, 2018

When I first registered for a Women, Science, and Technology class last semester, the prospect of learning about women’s contributions to the STEM fields excited me. As a Saudi woman, I didn’t know enough about the achievements women in my country had made and were making, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to learn more. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Saudi women were not just entering the STEM fields in high numbers, many of them are coming up with incredible innovations that will change the world.

Here’s a list of some of the groundbreaking Saudi women scientists you need to know about.Hayat Sindi

Dr. Hayat Sindi smiles happily at the camera. Source: UNESCO

Dr. Hayat Sindi

Dr. Hayat Sindi co-founded the “Diagnostics for All” organization at Harvard University in order to develop a new technological innovation that could change the lives of so many people across the world. She played a large part in the invention of a tiny, cost-efficient pieces of paper that can diagnose liver diseases when in contact with a drop of blood or saliva. These carefully crafted slips change colors depending on the diagnosis. Her invention could allow for the development of accessible and cheap ways to test HIV and AIDS. Instead of having to go to clinics to run tests, anyone can conduct the test on their own from the comfort of their home. When implemented in poorer communities where healthcare may be too costly, people will be able to easily conduct these tests on themselves.

Today, Sindi continues to encourage scientific entrepreneurship in hopes that more young people in the Kingdom and around the world will be inspired enough to make a change.

Dr. Khawla Al Kuraya smiling while standing in the middle of a hallway in a hospital wearing a lab coat. Source: Giphy

Dr. Khawla Al Kuraya

Dr. Khawla Al Kuraya was the first person in the world to discover the cancer-triggering gene, FOSM1, in the human body. Several of her research articles have been published in journals in Europe and the United States. She is also the first Saudi woman to receive the King Abdulaziz Award for Excellence, which she earned for her contributions to cancer research.

Dr. Al Kuraya is currently a cancer specialist at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre whilst also largely contributing and making changes within Saudi Arabia’s Shoura Council.

Dr. Adah Almutairi poses in a chemistry lab. Source: University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Adah Almutairi

Caption: Dr. Adah Almutairi poses in a chemistry lab. Source: University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Adah Almutairi is best known for discovering the first nanoparticle that responds to inflammation in the body. Her life-changing innovation earned her the NIH New Innovator Award in 2009, which is only awarded to less than 50 young researchers to encourage highly innovative research with the potential for high impact. Her research could lead to new technologies that allow diabetic patients to simply shine the light-activated nanoparticles on their abdomen or arm, or even allow people to use the nanoparticles as light-activated sunscreen so they don’t have to worry about reapplying it after every swim.

Dr. Almutairi is currently a professor at the University of California, San Diego and is part of a research team that is developing tools for the future of biology and medicine.

Dr. Samira Islam giving a speech in front of a podium. Source: Wikipedia

Dr. Samira Islam

A list of pioneering Saudi women wouldn’t be complete without the mention of Dr. Samira Islam. She was the first Saudi woman to ever earn a phD, and the first woman to become Vice-Dean at a university in the Kingdom. In the 1970s, Dr. Islam introduced formal university education for girls in the country. Her work on drug safety at King Fahd Center for Medical Research has earned her praise in the country and around the world. Her research was focused on the effect of drugs on the Saudi population to help physicians decide on accurate doses for patients undergoing medication.

These women are proving just how capable the Kingdom’s women are of making scientific breakthroughs and changing the world. It’s time we acknowledge the work they’ve done, and recognize that Saudi women are so much more than what we make them out to be.

Reblogged this on Progressive Islam. and commented:
It is a good news we should be proud of them, we need more Muslim women take participation on world including sport activities in Olympic. I consider those women are the Prigressive Muslim. The extremist wimen forbid to enter the mix office.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETECT CRIMINALS
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My Father Raja Lashkar Ali Khan (Late) had been remained one of the most honest & most experienced inspector Police Sind CID from 1916 to 1954.He was most expert in detecting criminal persons within three days & he used to say that “IT IS NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETECT criminal Persons.

I am saying this because of the following reasons.

MOST nos of cases of thefting of personal data of ATM Cards have been occurred in this Islamic country of Pakistan for purpose of looting the bank balances through fake ATM cards by the sourceful criminals persons but police fails to detect criminal persons but it is not impossible to arrest criminal persons and to give them capital punishment for crushing of bad activities.

But in such crimes, most Nos of banking staff are fully involved in looting of ATM Balances.The ATM Machines are installed inside bank premises and there are always existed security guard round the clocks on duty. Can Presidents of all banks can explain that why criminal persons have installed secret devices inside bank premises for thefting of personal datas of the ATM Cards

If our government of Pakistan is really sincered, It is better that first of all , to arrest all the criminals through CIA Police who are found involved in thefting of personal data of ATM Cards and give them corporate punishment for 20 years in jail along with 100 hard lashes on the back of the criminals on the roads before public so that others criminals should learn the IBRATNAK LESSONS from it.

Similarly an award of Rs TEN MILLION should be given to CIA police officer who would traced such criminal persons for encouraging execellent performance of officially duty plus one step up promotion.

Similarly, the sourceful persons should also be arrested who are fully involved in such crimes because without taking any action against all criminals persons and their supporters, the henious crimes can never be crushed for ever in this Islamic country of Pakistan
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Commented by one 77 years old aged most patriotic great thinker of Pakistan,